Where do you find opportunities to take photos?

MadaCup

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I picked up my Sony A300 last weekend and must have taken less than 50 pictures, most of which are just messing about zooming in and playing with the aperature settings etc. Nothing meaningful whatsoever.

So far i'm a bit disappointed with the lack of opportunities. I plan to take my camera to work with me this week to take some photos of the canary wharf motor expo, I also plan to go to woburn safari park and take some pictures for my football team. The opportunities are so far few and far between.

My question is how do you find these opportunities? Do you wonder around aimlessly on your own taking photos of random things?

I'd love to improve my photography skills but so far im struggling to get past the first hurdle :thumbsdow
 
I got some photos of pegs too!! Along with close ups of weeds from the garden :rotfl:
 
Tomorrow (well today actually) I'm going out to add 3 more blue pegs so its more uniform because the single one is annoying me immensly. :rolleyes:
 
I have to admit looking at taking a dof shot at the washing line too :rolleyes: most of my photos are just from various holidays throughout the year when am walking around or when i go out for a walk or day out with my oldest son who is 5 i never really go out just to take photos i just tend to take my camera along and take various random photos of stuff that i think might look ok that i see along the way :)
 
Mike.P®;9667098 said:
Tomorrow (well today actually) I'm going out to add 3 more blue pegs so its more uniform because the single one is annoying me immensly. :rolleyes:

Or you could try your photoshop skills ;)

In answer to the op. You won't find many oppertunities while on avforums

Either poke your head out the window or go for a day out!
 
Mike.P®;9667098 said:
Tomorrow (well today actually) I'm going out to add 3 more blue pegs so its more uniform because the single one is annoying me immensly. :rolleyes:

Totally agree with you.
 
So far i'm a bit disappointed with the lack of opportunities.

Just getting a D-SLR doesn't suddenly present new opportunities! :D

What are you interested in? Are there particular shots or styles you'd like to learn?

Whilst at home, you can certainly be honing your photography technique, maybe get a couple of photography books and/or magazines for some inspiration.
 
Opportunities are everywhere, get up early, say 5am and go for a wander - what are you actually wanting to photograph, events / sports or people. If you get out there it will happen.

If you are in Lomdon go for a walk on the South Bank, if you don't come back with a card full I will be amazed.

Here are a few recent shots of mine to show you

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/1004231-early-morning-meadows.html

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/990327-chappel-viaduct.html

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/989173-colchester-castle-park-sunny-evening.html

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/926508-colchester-zoo-thread.html

Here is nearly all my uploaded shots from when I started on the forum, will give you an idea of what I am getting at.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo-sharing/338908-biscuits-sharing-thread.html

Hope you don't mind the self promotion.

Bill
 
Good advice above - another thing I'd suggest is to search on flickr for places near you to get an idea of what's about.

I'd also agree with using the camera at home as well - I was laid up for a few weeks following knee surgery a while back, and ended up taking some shots of my boy's Lego figures, did the 'classic' water drop stuff, and tried a self portrait - there are definitely options.
 
With time you will start to develop the ability to "see" pictures all over the place. I did a talk at our local photo club a month ago. In it I spoke about my theory that we all end up taking random shots of rust, reflections, clothes pegs, pets etc and that we have to in order to progress and eventually work out what it is we actually WANT to take photo's of...and how we want to take those photos. You just have to get out there and look around you. Look up, look down, when you see something you want to take a picture of ask yourself is there a more interesting angle or composition...then off you go!
Good luck, it will come

Incidentally Tobers started a group called TheSquareMile on flickr and one of the benefits of taking part in it is that it makes you look for photo's where you may not have thought there were any.
 
And on that very note I looked out of my living room window and just had to take a photo of this...... not sure why I just did...... so you dont always have to go looking for things to take photo's of as long as you have your camera with you if something pops up then shoot it :thumbsup:
 

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"Seeing creatively" by Bryan Perterson is not a bad book to get hold of and read. It is easy reading and if ful of ful colour phots so, it isnot boring at all IMHO
.
However, everyone has bursts of creativity and the need to just go out and shoot.
And sometime that zeal and enthusiasm get buried under lifes other little worries: ( Losing ones mojo so to speak).. Sometimes the camera just gathers dust in a corner..:)
In answer to the op. You won't find many oppertunities while on avforums

Either poke your head out the window or go for a day out!

So , whist I agree you will never get a chance while on AVF...:rotfl:, it might give you ideas and inspiration while out and about:smashin:
Just dont leave the camera at home , the opportunities can be found in the most unexpected places , and times..
 
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With time you will start to develop the ability to "see" pictures all over the place.

Totally agree Gordon - since my new found interest in photography I have become much more aware of things around me and generally more observant.

The only problem is getting the image from my mind's eye into the camera :rolleyes::D
 
However, everyone has bursts of creativity and the need to just go out and shoot.
And sometime that zeal and enthusiasm get buried under lifes other little worries: ( Losing ones mojo so to speak).. Sometimes the camera just gathers dust in a corner..:)

Agree with that - i've moved my dust covered camera from the bedroom corner to the car boot, hoping it may get used. :rolleyes:
 
I try and keep a notebook of ideas (normally dreamed up while commuting on the train)

I'm not a big fan of parading round outdoors with my camera (self confidence issues!) so I like taking pictures of things in my flat, it's all there you've just got to see it :thumbsup:
 
I picked up my Sony A300 last weekend and must have taken less than 50 pictures, most of which are just messing about zooming in and playing with the aperature settings etc. Nothing meaningful whatsoever.

So far i'm a bit disappointed with the lack of opportunities. I plan to take my camera to work with me this week to take some photos of the canary wharf motor expo, I also plan to go to woburn safari park and take some pictures for my football team. The opportunities are so far few and far between.

My question is how do you find these opportunities? Do you wonder around aimlessly on your own taking photos of random things?

I'd love to improve my photography skills but so far im struggling to get past the first hurdle :thumbsdow

Get some kids/pets to take photos of, go to the Lakes for the week-end. Try and pic a subject, like curves or abstract and the sky is your limit. Stop looking for things and try looking for shapes/colours instead. Just have a bit of fun.
 
i found this book a great one to put in the loo. Give you lots of new ideas on how to see things

Learning to See Creatively


I wish i had my camera on me today tbh, i got totally lost trying to walk into work due to the tube strike and ended up in some lovely spots in london with some gorgeous old buildings. I'll probably get lost trying to find my way back to them tomorrow.

*Edit: Senu mentioned the book earlier, must learn to read threads forwards from now on!
 
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I would suggest that you find and join a camera club. You will find very interesting people there and will see a variety of different interests. It will certainly give you inspiration and most likely someone to go out and about with who will help you develope a 'seeing eye'. Good photos start with seeing, then with practice and finally with experience.
 
I tend to go for walks and keep my eyes peeled for interesting objects/buildings/wildlife etc that i can take pictures of. Though i usually have a rough idea of what i want to take in my minds eye, it's difficult translating that into reality though.

I mean this was a complete and utter fluke (if i hadn't had an asthma attack i would have missed it) -
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3566/3553570953_5ec7434d95_b.jpg

Anyway i shall be at a friends wedding this weekend, thankfully they have hired a wedding photographer so i can just pursue my love of candid photography, without getting in the way of the professional.
 
You take your camera for a walk...and the dog comes too just to see what you are up to, and you take loads of snaps. You look at the snaps some days or weeks later and do they tell you a story? Do they say ' I've been there'. Do they evoke the same interest? So often I have done this and looked at my snaps some time later and wonder. Why did I take this picture? What did I see then that I do not see now. Or..You look at a picture and it speaks back at you and you know why you took it. By working through this process you will discover what makes the sort of photograph that you will want to take and keep. Being a member of a photo club allows you to share your photos with people you trust to be honest with you. Some snaps make good photos but more likely good photos are the result of seeing an opportunity and spending time and effort to see how best to take the photo. My interest is close up and macro. On average I take ten photos and then keep only one. Everyone is different in what they want to use their camera for, but the process to taking good photos is the same for everyone...practice.
 
Mike.P®;9667098 said:
Tomorrow (well today actually) I'm going out to add 3 more blue pegs so its more uniform because the single one is annoying me immensly. :rolleyes:

Delvey/Mike.P - I'm gonna disagree with you - the lone blue I think would make it more interesting.

To the OP - keep your camera with you, you will be amazed at what pops up that you suddenly think - now that would make a good photo - and without the tools to hand, you miss the opp. Would also advocate joining a club, or even this forum photo comp - having a focus subject in mind through a month is a great way to start looking at things in a different light, and can kick-start creativity. I think Gordon and a few others have also mentioned that spending a bit of time in composing a shot can reap dividends - it may not look that good straight on, middle distance, but maybe close up at an angle into the sun etc....
 

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